Scenario

You are a newly hired IT employee for XYZ Company. As part of your role, you are responsible for deployment of the organization’s 100 workstations. The current break-down of computers includes 75 desktops and 25 laptops. All of the workstations are 5+ years old, and management has decided that it is time to replace the old hardware and upgrade from Window XP.

Historically, IT staff at XYZ have used the CDs that come with the workstations to install the Operating System. You think this method is outdated and that there is a better solution. Management has asked you to develop a deployment plan which details an alternative solution and justifies a change in procedure.

Your task is to do the following:

Decide which Operating System edition and version to install on the new machines. What factors make it the best choice? (20 points)

Research deployment tools and choose one for distributing the operating systems and any common applications to the new hardware. (20 points)

1. What deployment software or systems would you purchase to do this?
2. What are the benefits? What are the downsides?

Why are you selecting this tool or method? Why is it a good fit for this organization?

• Document the entire process for removing the old hardware, installing the new operating system, distributing the new hardware, and system setup. (20 points)
• Your process plan should include everything IT, management, and the users need to do to get them from doing their job on their old XP machines to being productive on their new systems.
• The plan should include what you will do with the old equipment

1. Will there be training involved. If so, when in the process will this take place?

How are you ensuring that although all the machines appear similar to an end user, they are unique on the network/domain?( i.e no conflictions)

Create a timeline for the project. (20 points)

Include a breakdown of how long each step of your process would take per workstation.

• Include an overall timeline breaking down when each part of the work will take place.
• Consider how the changeover will affect both ongoing IT operations and user downtime.
• Prepare a cost analysis for your plan. (20 points)
• Include the costs for any software you recommend.

1. Include the costs for all of the labor required.

Use fixed hardware costs of $1000/desktop and $1500/laptop.

• Compare the costs for your plan to the costs of performing individual manual installs on each machine.
• Formatting (10 points)
• Clarity, cleanliness, and professionalism of presentation

1. Organization (15 points)

Logical structure and flow

• Be sure to include an introduction and your conclusions.
• Grammar (10 points)
• Clarity, correctness, and professionalism of language
• Other considerations (15 points)

1. Other graded elements

How deeply and creatively did you think about the project?

• Comments

1. The goal of this assignment is get you away from thinking in terms of managing a single system for yourself to thinking about how to manage multiple systems for other people, and to do it in a way that saves both time and money.

There are many considerations in an IT project like this one. The point of this assignment is for you to ask questions about the organization’s goals, the solutions available, the different ways of going about a task, the needs of the users, the work requirements for the IT department, and the financial impact of the organization (among many others). Be creative and think as deeply as you can.

• Focus on the software, process, and business impacts of this scenario. You can assume that whatever hardware is chosen meets the system requirements for whatever operating system you select.
• You are free to make any additional assumptions when developing your plan so long as they are clearly stated in your report.

1. Justify any choices or recommendations you make. For example, saying something like, “it’s more secure,” isn’t enough. List the important security features and show how they can benefit the organization. Cite your sources.

You will have to invent some of the numbers, but try to be as realistic as possible. Do your research and make educated guesses. The “steps to think about” attachment is a guideline for what to consider in terms of timetable and finances. It is far from complete, but should get you started.

• When preparing your report, pretend you are writing a project plan or proposal for your boss to take to upper management. This would certainly happen in the workforce, given the time requirements and financial expenditure. Try to make it clear, concise, and professional. (Do NOT copy the “steps to think about” document – that’s just a brainstorming sheet.)